i saw my neighbor's tama set,, and he's using an extra pair of hi-hats as actual cymbals,, on 2 separate stands,,, like 2 small splashes i guess.

they don't sound too bad,, but i'm no pro here.

is this commonplace? does anyone here use hi hats as actual cymbals- if you happen to have extra ones lying around doing nothing??

what are the pros/cons to doing this?

Nodiggie

12-10-2008, 08:24 AM

Welcome to the forum.

Besides not sounding very good as a crash/splash...they will probably break a lot sooner than they would being used as hi hats.

Tom Sawyer

12-10-2008, 08:29 AM

Yes, I use my hihats as actual cymbals. Quite a lot, really.

I do not use them as crashes though, no.

oops

12-10-2008, 08:30 AM

You can do whatever you want.

I've heard of people using 2 16" crashes as hihats, the only real problem with this is placement.

Using one half of a hihat as a crash wouldn't be too bad, as long as you like the sound. I'd assume it would make for a pretty heavy crash.

caddywumpus

12-10-2008, 06:29 PM

I have a really light pair of high hats that I COULD use as crashes if I wanted. They sound pretty good as crashes--not too heavy at all. Most of my other hats are heavier, and quite clangy if used as crashes. I guess if they sound good, a cymbal is a cymbal, right?

If I were on craigslist or eBay and listed a pair of hi hats, and remarked that I used one or both cymbals as crashes, I wouldn't expect to get very much for them. Just something to consider...

mind_drummer

12-10-2008, 06:47 PM

I thought hi-hat were cymbals ????

cjbee

12-10-2008, 07:45 PM

Do what you want...there's no rules in drumming.

Green_Shoes

12-10-2008, 07:51 PM

I did try this once but the hi-hats sounded terrible apart (didn't sound amazing together) so just give it a shot and see what sound you can get.

On the other side, i have used two 12" splashes as hi-hats so can be played both ways as others above me have said.

Deathmetalconga

12-10-2008, 08:38 PM

I don't think hats would make good crashes because of their weight. I am working on getting a cocktail drum set and I plan on using a 14 or 15 inch bottom hat for a ride cymbal. I think a hat could make a great dwarf ride cymbal.

LeeLovesSabian

12-10-2008, 09:02 PM

I have done this to see what kind of noise came out, I thought It was okay.
I just use them as crashes once in a while.
Not bad really.

drumguyfromWI

12-10-2008, 10:07 PM

the marching band at my high school uses hi-hats as ride/crash cymbals. they attach one of the cymbals from a pair of hi-hats onto the marching snare drums with little clip-on cymbal arms. kinda cool.

RMS

12-10-2008, 10:19 PM

I thought hi-hat were cymbals ????

I thought so, too. So, does anyone use their hats as anything OTHER than actual cymbals, like say, dinner plates with a drain hole...er...something.

sorry couldn't resist

DW-jazz-drummer

12-10-2008, 10:45 PM

well it would depend what style you are playing, and how hard you crash your cymbals.

Green_Shoes

12-11-2008, 12:25 AM

I thought so, too. So, does anyone use their hats as anything OTHER than actual cymbals, like say, dinner plates with a drain hole...er...something.

sorry couldn't resist

As a shocking collinder for drainage...

RMS

12-11-2008, 01:40 AM

On a serious note, I have two pairs of vintage 15" A. Zildjian hi-hats. The "tops" of both make great crashes because they are so thin. The bottoms, not so much. Anyways, what is interesting to me is that none of these cymbals were purchased together as a set. It's apparent from the stamps that the tops are from a different era than the bottoms (set one: 70's top, 60's bottom...set two: 50's top, old K bottom). But to answer the original question the way it was meant..."yes". Mix-n-match and use as unintended as you want, just don't crack 'em!

caddywumpus

12-11-2008, 01:59 AM

So, does anyone use their hats as anything OTHER than actual cymbals, like say, dinner plates with a drain hole...er...something.

I took a 14" hi hat bottom, sharpened the edges all around, and I keep it next to my bed in case a burglar breaks in. Works better than a bat, but it sure was messy...

Hey, how about other items you have used or seen used as cymbals? I've seen metal bands using old saw mill blades as rides. I saw a bluegrass band where the drummer used an upside-down frying pan as his ride and a baking pan as a crash (and yep, you guessed it--a suitcase kit). Any others? [hijack thread]

adel.egypt

12-12-2008, 01:54 AM

hi everyone,, newbie to the forum,,,

i saw my neighbor's tama set,, and he's using an extra pair of hi-hats as actual cymbals,, on 2 separate stands,,, like 2 small splashes i guess.

they don't sound too bad,, but i'm no pro here.

is this commonplace? does anyone here use hi hats as actual cymbals- if you happen to have extra ones lying around doing nothing??

what are the pros/cons to doing this?

well dude i did this b4 but it was awful i sounded really awful if u would want to use a splash buy one if not just dont and thats a personal opinion

bd50

12-15-2008, 06:50 AM

I thought so, too. So, does anyone use their hats as anything OTHER than actual cymbals, like say, dinner plates with a drain hole...er...something.

sorry couldn't resist

lol,,, thanks guys for the responses!

rock on

Deathmetalconga

12-15-2008, 11:24 PM

I've heard Paistes and Sabians make terrific bedpans if you plug up the hole.

BUDDHA 2533

12-17-2008, 01:10 PM

If you can get your hands on some horrible hats from budget kits such as promax or similar they sound terrible as crashes but if you fold the edges to the form of a china it creates a pretty interesting sound. It isn't very conventional but not everyone is like that

drumguyfromWI

12-18-2008, 02:57 AM

I plan on using the bottom cymbal from my old brass 13" Zildjian Planet Z pair of hi-hats (that came with my first kit) as a splash after I get a cymbal holder to mount to one of my existing cymbal stands. they sound horrible as hi-hats, but suprisingly sound tolerable if used as splashes... but this will just be a stopgap measure until I get a real splash.

P.S. I'm using the bottom cymbal because the top one is bent out of shape (not to mention the finish being ridiculously tarnished)

Pachikara-Tharakan

12-27-2008, 02:57 AM

thanks folks for this discussion.
My starter kit came with Planet Z 13" hi Hat and 18" Crash. The 18" Crash sounded Clanky all the time, horrible and finally it broke. Now I am using the hi hats as a ride and a splash, sounds much better and using the 18" broken Crash as a riding hi hat. The whole kit looks better now with 2 cymbals!!! (The other Cymbal stand is an old floor light stand)
(Financial problem, good thin crashes and rides are way too expensive for me!!) I am thinking of getting a tambourine, remove the skin and wrap the rim with rubber (to avoid the stick sound) and use as hi hat.

Daphfz

12-27-2008, 04:08 AM

If you can get your hands on some horrible hats from budget kits such as promax or similar they sound terrible as crashes but if you fold the edges to the form of a china it creates a pretty interesting sound. It isn't very conventional but not everyone is like that

Umm can you do that to some shalimar hihats? and would it crack them?

hoey19

03-21-2009, 01:28 PM

nah dude i got my mapex QR with shalimar high hats, ride and crash. i use the high hats as 2 seperate splashes and they sound great. and im also thinking bout gettin a PST3 splash any one have one??

simpson

03-21-2009, 04:56 PM

My brother was the drummer in a band called Glueleg. It was kind of like Chicago meets Red Hot Chili Peppers. Very funky and different sounds. Real heavy guitar, bass, with a horns section.

On his kit were some of the weirdest set-ups you'll ever see, but it sounded amazing.

He designed a sheet of metal about 2' x 3' wide that was suspended between two stands that he used as a cymbal. It was like a cross between a ride and a gong, very cool.

He used the aluminum mounts from roto-toms as hi-hats and rides, again, very cool sound.

I'll have to look for some pictures to post.

simpson

03-21-2009, 10:50 PM

I found a pic of the gear that I described earlier. This was a picture taken for Canadian Drummer magazine. If you look above the the floor tom, you'll see the sheets of metal and also the roto-tom frames used as cymbals.

harryconway

03-22-2009, 06:06 AM

.....does anyone here use hi hats as actual cymbals- if you happen to have extra ones lying around doing nothing?? Like some have said, there are no rules. If you like the sound, do it. I had one old/funky hi-hat cymbal that I used as an "effects cymbal". Sounded like a cross between a splash and a china.

what are the pros/cons to doing this? I guess most "cons" would revolve around "image". If you're flying 8 cymbals, with half of them broken, I'd opt to fly 4 good ones, and leave the broken ones at home. To a non-drummer, a hi-hat top or bottom just looks like another cymbal. Broken, however, looks like broken.

jwildman

05-02-2009, 04:29 AM

I've tried that and It just doesn't sound good to me. But it's all a matter of perspective. I've seen a guy who uses an old B8 hihat as a small ride and that sounds like a better idea than a crash

larryace

05-03-2009, 01:45 AM

I ride my bottom hi hat once in a while, (foot off the pedal, top cymbal not touching the bottom cymbal) I just take my foot off and get underneath and ride away. A real distinctive ping. At the end of some songs, I'll open the hats and do a swell on the top hat as the last sound in cetain songs, it's very powerful and different sounding than all the other cymbals. You can hear an example of this in a song I uploaded under the thread called "the ballad snare"